THE LOWDOWN
We return to Easter Road following Thursday night’s impressive Premier Sports Cup quarter-final win against Dundee United at Tannadice.
We go into the match unbeaten in our opening six cinch Premiership fixtures – our best unbeaten start to a campaign since 2007.
Our objective is to get back to winning ways after back-to-back league draws against Heart of Midlothian and St Mirren.
Depending on results elsewhere this weekend, we could return to the top of the cinch Premiership.
The match is a repeat of last season’s Scottish Cup Final, and we will be aiming for a more favourable outcome this time.
TEAM NEWS
After missing the game against St Mirren, James Scott came on as a substitute in our Premier Sports quarter-final win against Dundee United. Josh Campbell is back in training.
There are no new injury concerns ahead of today’s game. We will be without the services of Christian Doidge, Jamie Murphy and Melker Hallberg through injury.
THE VISITORS
St Johnstone enjoyed their first league win of the campaign last weekend with a morale-boasting 1-0 victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
They go into the game sitting eighth in the cinch Premiership however boss Callum Davidson won’t be concerned by their slow start.
They did likewise last year, too and went on to enjoy the club’s most successful season ever by clinching a top-six place along with an unlikely cup double.
Cup heroes Jason Kerr and Ali McCann recently departed for Wigan Athletic and Preston North End respectively and their places in the side have been filled by new signings Ali Crawford and former Hibs defender, Efe Ambrose.
Despite the Saints stuttering domestic form, they have enjoyed a European run that peaked with a famous draw away to Galatasaray in the Europa League Qualifiers.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Over the years we have come out on top the most in this fixture, winning 64 of the 147 encounters, losing 48 and drawing 35.
Yet, it is St Johnstone that have enjoyed the best of recent meetings and have not lost to us at Easter Road since August 2012.
Last season, we won the opening match between the teams thanks to a very late Stephen Mallan penalty kick.
St Johnstone won on their last visit to Easter Road when former Hibee, Glenn Middleton, scored the only goal of the game.
The Perth side also defeated us in both cup competitions, with their 1-0 victory over us in the Scottish Cup final securing a famous cup double for Davidson’s side.
FAMILIAR FACES
There will be plenty of familiar faces on show for St Johnstone with boss Davidson able to call on a host of former Hibees from his squad.
Middleton, Ambrose, David Wotherspoon, Callum Booth and Liam Craig have all spent time with us.
MATCH SPONSORS
Thanks to our match sponsors, Macklin Motors, our match ball sponsors, Terry Healy Group, and our captains armband sponsors, AKD Electrical.
We hope everyone has a great day. If you would be interested in matchday sponsorship opportunities at Easter Road for your business, you can find more information and enquire here.
HOW TO WATCH
Tickets are still available at Easter Road; CLICK HERE to get yours!
You can also watch the game on Hibs TV! Jamie Murphy joins Charles Paterson in the studio. Find out more here.
